Rumour Has It

Okay I have the most delicious piece of news. Did you hear? Someone close to me did something scandalously juicy and now everything within me seems to brim over with the desire to spill the beans to a close friend on the person without stopping for a second to think that gossiping tears friendships apart.

I was reading this blogpost on my friend Roshie’s Blog, and was immediately convicted.

I don’t gossip. That much. As I used to. Anymore. Starting from right now.

I know of a friend who says she feels strangely disconnected from people who use gossipping as a means to build relationships.

I can’t say I don’t relate because I have several friends a friend where our relationship started with gossipping about other people.

They’re not big bad things, or so I tell myself, they’re small mean jokes sometimes, like “Oh, did you hear? So-and-so had another asthma attack. Can you imagine the amount of inhalers she’ll need when she starts making out with a guy” or “Yeah, so-and-so came to me with girl problems again. Good God, it’s like he thinks I have the answers.”

I deceive myself into thinking, by sharing this other persons problems to this unrelated other person, that I’m somehow really helping the situation get better. So much so that I fail to see the venom coming out of my own mouth.

And reading Roshie’s post on that unfair and untruthful account of her, I suddenly was filled with thoughts of every person I’ve ever gossiped about or gossiped to, sometimes both the same people.

Am I so shallow I have nothing else to talk about?

I can talk about anything, including MY OWN problems, why do I choose to harp on someone else’s?

Why do we gossip? Why do I gossip?

To make myself feel better? Insecurity runs deep then.

To keep the friendship alive? It’s not a real friendship to begin with then.

The bible says we will reap what we sow. If I sow in gossipping about others, what kind of fruits am I reaping?

More than gossiping, I want to be able to walk away from engaging in those kinds of conversations.

It’s time that I start watching my friends back rather than stabbing them in the back.

If I consider myself a good friend and an upstanding citizen in my community, I have to be the one to stop gossiping from becoming a culture in my world.

This gossiping business has to stop.

Let it stop with me.

Roshie J

Don’t bad-mouth each other, friends. It’s God’s Word, His Message, His Royal Rule, that takes a beating in that kind of talk. You’re supposed to be honoring the Message, not writing graffiti all over it. God is in charge of deciding human destiny. Who do you think you are to meddle in the destiny of others?

SPEAKING OF

Hi my name is Sumi, and I’m currently looking for a job after life. I have 29 years of work experience. I have a bachelor’s degree in procrastination. I raise money, eyebrows and concerns. I think dancing should be in the Olympics and jeans in every girl’s closet.